Sorry, not relevant after merging to this thread.
This is perfectly written and expressed so I won’t try to restate it, only want to express solidarity with the exact same feelings. I do hope the overwhelming response to this update from this forum brings with it some change. I fear it will be an additional charge for couples, but even that would be far better than the current system. @Carla thank you for interacting with the forum with patience; please do recognize and pass along the real life significant impacts this new policy has on sitters and impress upon those that need to hear the necessity for an immediate change. Thank you.
4 Likes
@FelicityT This is a super long thread, but read at least the first messages 
@FelicityT THS have changed their system and sitters can’t overlap sits anymore so unfortunately sitting through THS will now become VERY expensive if you can’t find back tobback sits.
Maybe look into other pet sitting sites as well.
2 Likes
Hi @FelicityT
I’ve merged your new topic into our ongoing discussion about overlapping sits, there’s lots of information and discussion here about the subject.
Jenny
1 Like
Ok, but the question remains: Why is the feedback collected? Why does the forum tram transfer it to the product team if nothing is going to change anyway?
It was like that with the 5-application rule and now again.
I think it would be less frustrating for us members if THS just said: “this is the new rule, case closed”, rather than pretending to listen, knowing we won’t make a difference anyway…
8 Likes
It seems a little pointless to keep giving you feedback @Jenny when membership services have started several times that the policy is in place and they will not be changing it. Not your fault but it’s a waste of time telling us you’ll pass back our experiences when they’ll have zero impact at HQ.
6 Likes
Hi @Els and @Cuttlefish
I hear you. I can imagine how disheartening it is to take the time to give feedback, and then feel like your opinion doesn’t count because it hasn’t resulted in a change.
I think it’s important to remember that the primary function of this forum isn’t about making policy changes, but rather a place for THS owners and sitters to talk about all things THS, and make a few friends along the way. One of the effects of the discussions on this Forum is that they generate very important feedback about THS in general.
We provide product updates for our members because we know it’s important to give you all a heads-up because these updates can impact many THS users. I’m still new here, but I know in the past there have been changes which weren’t communicated in advance which had been challenging for some members.
Part of giving product updates is also giving members a safe space to discuss them, to share their thoughts and opinions. Those discussions are valuable and are worth being heard by the right people, and they also bring up questions that we can sometimes get answers to, meaning that if someone else is to read the discussion, they’re hopefully going to see a response that helps them. That’s why it’s important that we collect feedback.
While in this case, the feedback we shared with the wider team wasn’t used to make changes to this particular update, it doesn’t mean that won’t be the case in the future. We can’t ever promise anything for sure, but at least if @Carla and I elevate your voices, you have more chance of being heard, whether now or in the future.
It’s a shame that you think we’re only pretending to listen, as that’s genuinely not the case, the Forum team really does hear you and we do care about what you say. That’s why we’ll continue to collect and share feedback so that we can advocate on your behalf wherever possible.
Jenny 
1 Like
Hi Jenny and thanks for taking time to reply to my post.
The over riding feeling here is that this policy is fundamentally flawed but THS seem to be sticking their heads in the sand and hoping it will blow over.
“We know best’” seems to be the attitude of the company.
But my question above remains unanswered…
We have often responded to an advertised sit by saying “Although we can’t help on this occasion, please bear us in mind for any future dates” as it would appear a good match for both sides.
Can THS please explain what is wrong with us doing with that…?
Why can’t we be trusted to contact a HO in this way?
Often they have got back to us when advertising their next trip and invited us to sit for them.
Really, what is the problem with that…?
2 Likes
It’s simply ridiculous.
They implement something new and state they will not change it and THEN they want feedback?
Things like this usually are done the other way round.
8 Likes
@TheSaint I do the same thing. If I’m not available for a sit I like where I live, i introduce myself to the pet parent and usually get to care for their pet next time round.
Theres nothing wrong with doing that!
I made a suggestion to introduce an enquiry button on Pet parents applications so we can at least get in contact with them. This is a great example of how an enquiry button would benefit us as sitters.
@Carla has sent this suggestion onto the THS team so hopefully they will include this with future applications 
We are sitters and now find ourselves free for a few days at the end of Nov. There are 5 sits currently available with low applications that we would have previously applied for to offer slightly different dates to match our availability, but now we can’t apply because of the ‘overbooking’ change. I would imagine that is 5 sits that will never be filled given their dates are coming around too fast. It’s already a huge problem for home owners and sitters, and it’s only just begun. THS you need to re-think this!!!
7 Likes
@Jenny who’s idea was it to implement this change and why weren’t sitters first asked about how this would effect us in our role to care for the many furbabies out there?
We are the ones that will mostly be effected by this change!
6 Likes
I wonder what would happen if you reached out to member services and asked them to contact these HOs for you? Might be worth a try, especially for sits with low/no applicants. Not saying this is how it should work, but, if everyone in a similar situation did this maybe it would help convey the degree to which this is detrimental to sitters and home owners.
1 Like
This is no longer permitted by the platform. As you have seen it is now not possible to get to the application option or even see how many applications have been submitted for a sit that overlaps with one you have already accepted. You can ‘overlap’ the start/end date (eg. one sit ends on the 25th and next sit can start on the 25th) so if that is being blocked please contact THS as this would be a bug.
You can probably see this in the 600 posts above but to hopefully summarise correctly:
Overlapping itself is not against T&C but leaving a sit early, arriving late or abandoning pets overnight is and the assumption is that if you overlap a sit the only way to accomplish this is do do one of those things
Many, many sitters have expressed that they operate as you do - 2 or more people who split up for a day or 2 to have no gaps in between sits when travelling or to get more sits.
THS appear to have acknowledged this but in order to technically prevent single sitters from overlapping they have either chosen to block you as well either deliberately or accidentally.
This technical change is not going to be reversed. There may or may not be some tweaks that allow sitters who can split up to be able to overlap but I would not count on that.
Many, many sitters have said that sit dates in the system may not be accurate as it is a huge pain to change them if the sit changes so many sits that are blocked as overlapping are not actually overlapping in reality. THS have said they will look at making date changes easier so they can more accurately reflect reality. No idea when this will be done or if it will be done.
Hope that helps.
1 Like
Probably “soon”…or rather close to 2 years…
I totally agree it would help to convey the severeness to THS decision makers, but on this occasion I am going to have to book a cheap hotel, I haven’t got time to wait for THS to respond, and for them to relay a message (which I doubt they would), and for home owners to then get back to me etc, rather than directly with the owners.
I’ve already contacted them to voice my opinion with the facts for how many of our sits it would have adversely affected this year, I hope everyone does that has responded on here. And I will definitely do what you suggested the next time, to bring it to their attention again, it’s a good idea.
3 Likes
@cawosey Hey don’t blame single sitters!! I’m a single sitter and if I had an overlap by a day or two I would always consult with the pet parents involved and only do an overlap if the HO who would be impacted was happy for me to do so otherwise I wouldn’t do it. My priority is always the cats that I care for so please don’t put it on us single sitters that’s not fare!!
Not ‘blaming’ anyone. I am merely indicating that single sitters do not have the option to both overlap sits and not be absent from one of them while 2 or more people can in fact be in 2 places at once. The examples that THS gave of pets being abandoned overnight or sitters leaving early that prompted the technical change could apply to singles and couples/families.
However if you can tell me how a single sitter can be at 2 sits that overlap overnight without violating the T&C that a pet not be left alone overnight by the sitter I would be very interested to hear it.
@FelicityT the only way would be for your daughter to sign up for her own THS membership and then she can apply for sits that overlap with the ones confirmed in your name .
There’s currently an offer on so if you use your RAF code - she will get 30% off membership .
It may be worth it compared to the cost of accommodation.